More than 10,000 people gathered at ANZ Stadium in Suva, Fiji, on Sabbath to hear the words of General Conference (GC) president Pastor Ted Wilson.
Pastor Wilson arrived in Fiji on Thursday night—the final leg of a busy six-week world tour, accompanied by his wife Nancy, including a visit to Sydney, Australia, last month.
On Friday morning, Pastor Wilson took a combined worship for staff at the Trans-Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) and Fiji Mission. He emphasised that every church member, young and old, needs to be involved and engaged in God’s ministry: total member involvement.
Later he and General Conference communication director Williams Costa officially launched Hope Channel Fiji onto the Walesi digital TV platform. On Friday evening, the GC president visited the Church’s new “centre of influence” in Suva.
The full-day Sabbath program included a free breakfast for about 2000 people. Despite heavy rain on Sabbath morning the stadium was filled by 7am and by 10am the sky had cleared and it was fine for the rest of the day.
“We are so honoured and happy that you could come and visit us once again,” Fiji Mission general secretary Joe Talemaitoga said during the Mission on the Move afternoon program.
“We are delighted that you could come and inspire our people here. Thank you for your ministry.”
Fiji Mission also reports collecting a record offering of FJD 77,700 that will be used for special projects over the next 2 to 3 years.
“Thank you so much for the offerings we’ve collected today,” said Pastor Luke Narabe, president of Fiji Mission. “[It is the] first time ever as a Church that we have collected this amount. And we praise God for the spirit of giving.”
Pastor Wilson presented a message on the high price Jesus paid through His sacrifice on the cross.
“I want you to know that when you go out to proclaim Jesus you must have a relationship with Him yourself,” he said.
“You cannot share something you do not have, and at the very core of our relationship with Jesus is our understanding that we are saved by grace, that we are not there because of our own works, that the amazing grace of Jesus was costly but it is free. I do not want anyone here to imagine that Jesus did not have to pay a huge price for our salvation. God’s grace is free but it is costly.
“We owe everything to Christ. He is our Creator, our Redeemer, our High Priest, our Judge, our coming King and our Best Friend. When you go out to tell others about this relationship with Jesus, God will stand by your side and he will give you the power to be a mighty witness for Him . . . His power will work in your life and He will stand by your side.”
TPUM president Pastor Maveni Kaufononga said church members responded positively to Pastor Wilson’s messages of total member involvement.
“Everyone committed to do something for our harvesting program in July next year . . . all local churches will run a program,” he said.
“People were excited, inspired and empowered to listen to the world president.
“For me, the best part: the members were able to see that we are all uniting in the mission of God from GC to mission level.”
Pastor and Mrs Wilson left Fiji on Sunday to return to the United States.
